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AT THE RIPE OLD AGE OF THIRTY-TWO, FORMER WILD CHILD ISABEL "IZZY" SPELLMAN HAS FINALLY AGREED TO TAKE OVER THE FAMILY BUSINESS. AND THE TRANSITION WON'T BE A SMOOTH ONE.
First among her priorities as head of Spellman Investigations is to dig up some dirt on the competition, slippery ex-cop Rick Harkey — a task she may enjoy a little too much. Next, faced with a baffling missing-persons case at the home of an aging millionaire, Izzy hires an actor friend, Len, to infiltrate the mansion as an undercover butler — a role he may enjoy a little much.
Meanwhile, Izzy is being blackmailed by her mother (photographic evidence of Prom Night 1994) to commit to regular blind dates with promising professionals — an arrangement that doesn't thrill Connor, an Irish bartender on the brink of becoming Ex-boyfriend #12.
At Spellman headquarters, it's business as unusual. Doorknobs and light fixtures are disappearing every day, Mom's been spotted crying in the pantry, and a series of increasingly demanding Spellman Rules (Rule #27: No Speaking Today) can't quite hold the family together. Izzy also has to decipher weekly "phone calls from the edge" from her octogenarian lawyer, Morty, as well as Detective Henry Stone's mysterious interest in rekindling their relationsh...well, whatever it was.
Just when it looks like things can't go more haywire, little sister Rae's internship researching pro bono legal cases leads the youngest Spellman to launch a grassroots campaign that could spring an innocent man from jail — or land Rae in it.
The Spellmans Strike Again is hands down the most hilarious, thrilling, and moving book in this bestselling, award-nominatedseries. And it proves beyond a reasonable doubt that Isabel Spellman, no matter how much she matures, will never be able to follow Rule #1: Act Normal.
—Entertainment Weekly
“Whip-smart sass.”
—People
“Delightful.”
—USA Today
“Move over, Carl Hiaasen. This tale of the Spellman family is irresistible, and you hate to see the romp end.”
—St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“An addictively entertaining read.”
—Glamour
“Lutz is one smart-mouthed writer.”
—New York Daily News
“Lie back and enjoy this tale of intergenerational gumshoe mayhem.”
—Kirkus
“Entertaining.”
—Publishers Weekly
“If you like Janet Evanovich, you are going to love the Spellmans."
—The Globe and Mail (Canada)
“Another engaging blend of wisecracks and crime-solving.”
—Booklist
Lisa Lutz is the author of the New York Times bestselling, Edgar Award- and Macavity Award-nominated, and Alex Award-winning Spellman series. She is the coauthor of Heads You Lose, written with David Hayward. She lives and works in upstate New York.
Why???? we all asked when my father broke the news. A family disappearance/corporate retreat/camping trip all rolled up into one. Surely it was a bad idea, I suggested. The sentiment was reaffirmed by Rae with her constant references to the Donner Party and repeated inquiries as to which one of the Spellmans plus guest would most likely be consumed first (should it come to that). The third time this particular line of inquiry rolled around, my mother sent Rae to her room.
If all of this is confusing you, perhaps I should give you a quick refresher course on the Spellmans. Although I highly recommend reading the first three documents1 if you want a true understanding of what is really going on here.
My father is Albert Spellman, a onetime cop turned private investigator who really likes lunch. He is happily married to Olivia Spellman, my mother and co-owner of Spellman Investigations. Mom is an extremely attractive woman?although lately people have been adding the disclaimer ?for her age,? which has started to get under her skin. Other than my mom?s mild vanity, her most obscene characteristic is that she seems to think meddling in her children?s lives is an Olympic event. Her training regimen is positively brutal.
Albert and Olivia have three children. The oldest is my brother, David, thirty-four: Formerly a poster boy for the all-American corporate male, currently an out-of-work human being. I?m the middle child. Isabel, thirty-two, if you didn?t catch it already. My MO from fifth grade until my midtwenties was that of the problem child. The ?student? the principal knew by name, the neighbors feared, and the pot dealers counted on to stay afloat. Also, in the interest of honesty, there were a few arrests thrown into the mix?two (or four, depending on how you?re counting) as recently as two years ago, which I guess means that I can?t argue that my problem years were confined to my youth or even my twenties. But it?s important to note that I?ve come a long way. Therapy helped, and I?m big enough to admit it was court ordered.
About six months ago, after years of doubt about my future with Spellman Investigations, I committed to the job completely and agreed to slowly begin taking over the business from my parents so they can retire and learn to do macram?2 or something. My father likes to say the seeds of adulthood have been planted. He?s just waiting for them to take.
There?s only one other Spellman to speak of?Rae?and I?ll mostly let her speak for herself because you might not believe me otherwise.
I suppose the most defining characteristic of my family is that we take our work home with us. If your family?s job is investigating other people, you inevitably investigate each other. This single trait has been our primary point of conflict for most of my life.
Finally, to round out the players on this unfortunate camping trip, I should mention Maggie. Maggie Mason, girlfriend to brother David. Maggie is a defense attorney who used to date Henry Stone (that?s a whole other story I don?t really want to get into right now, okay?), who happens to be the ?best friend?3 of my now seventeen-year-old sister, the briefly aforementioned Rae. Henry is a forty-five-year-old police inspector and Rae is a senior in high school. They?re an unlikely duo. Rae met Henry when she was fourteen and I guess she decided that they were kindred spirits. However, on the surface (and beneath the surface) they have nothing in common. At the start, Henry endured Rae. Then he got used to her. Then, when Henry was dating Maggie and Rae went to supernatural lengths to sabotage their relationship, Henry cut Rae off completely. Now they have found peace. At least that?s what I?ve heard. I don?t get involved anymore.
After Maggie and Henry broke up, over half of the Spellman clan vetted Maggie and determined that she was a quality human, the kind of person that the Spellman circle sorely needed. After an appropriate amount of time passed, the matchmaking plans for Maggie and David were successfully enacted. The couple had only been together about two months at the point of this camping trip, but since Maggie is the only person we know who can make fire from a flint, can pitch a tent, can use a compass, and actually owns bear spray, we thought it wise for our own personal safety to bring her along. That and David refused to come unless she accompanied him.
Now picture me in the predawn hours, in the middle of the woods, in the middle of the Russian River, in the middle of nowhere, sharing a tent with my much younger sister, Rae, who had spent the past two days either trying to get cell phone reception, complaining about the mosquitoes, or ?sleeping,? during which time she carried on lengthy conversations about . . . well, honestly, I couldn?t tell you. I caught phrases like ?I?ve been sworn to secrecy,? ?Not in this lifetime,? and ?You?ll find the treasure at the bottom of the gorge.? I might have been able to sleep through her babbling if she weren?t a nighttime thrasher and kicker. And so, once again, there I was, sleep deprived, trapped with family, waiting for the nightmare to come to an end. My life in a nutshell.
On the morning before our return-home date, I gave up on sleep, knowing that this was my last full day in the wild. When I exited my tent, my father was trying to make coffee and failing miserably. He appeared glad for company since my mother was still slumbering in their tent.
?What am I doing wrong?? he asked.
?Strong-arming your family into a cruel and unnecessary nature excursion,? I suggested.
?No,? Dad replied. ?What am I doing wrong with the coffee??
?You don?t stick the coffee in the pot and boil it with the water, Dad. Are you brain-dead? You just boil the water first and use the French press Maggie brought. Weren?t you watching her yesterday?? I replied with too much hostility.
My father tried to lighten the mood with the only joke he had in his arsenal this weekend.
?Why don?t you take a hike?? he said for about the thirtieth time.
?I?m going to dig a grave for that line and you?re going to bury it, Dad. I swear to you, if you say it one more time??
?Maggie!? Dad shouted with way too much enthusiasm for waking hours. ?Thank God you?re awake.?
Maggie smiled, approached the campfire, and took over the coffee making. Already the morning had improved. But the purpose of the trip had not yet been realized, and eventually we had to accept that this wasn?t simply a bonding experience for the Spellmans and friend, but something even more bizarre.
I should mention that no Spellman child had gone AWOL or refused to participate in the excursion since ?business? was not to take place until the final day and, frankly, we all wanted our voice to be heard, even if it was heard above the buzz of mosquitoes. Also, I should mention that my parents said they would refuse to give a raise to anyone who didn?t participate in this bonding exercise. As for David, he was only there because he thought Maggie needed more quality time with the family, as a kind of cautionary lesson.
I suppose it?s time we get to business.
The First Annual Shareholders? Meeting of Spellman Investigations, Inc.
[The minutes read as follows:]
ALBERT: Here, here. I call this meeting to order. Are all ye present?
DAVID: Dad, we?re not in old England. These are just shareholders? minutes. State the date, the location, and the parties present.
OLIVIA: Isabel, are you recording?
ISABEL: Yes. And I?d like to put on record that we could have had this meeting in the comfort of our own home.
OLIVIA: Rae, what are you doing?
RAE: Making s?mores.
OLIVIA: It?s ten A.M., sweetie.
RAE: What?s your point?
OLIVIA: S?mores are not breakfast food.
ALBERT: Excuse me, I?m trying to have a meeting here.
RAE: Who?s stopping you?
ISABEL: Put the skewer down, Rae.
RAE: This is seriously the most torturous experience of my life.
ALBERT: Hello? Do I need to drag out the cowbell?
DAVID: Dad, if you do, I?m walking right now.
ALBERT: David, your presence here is necessary. I need you to draw up the minutes.
DAVID: You are aware of the fact that many small companies have minutes created without a meeting.
RAE: Oh my god, now you tell us!
ALBERT: We have actual business to conduct.
DAVID: Dad, you wanted a family vacation and used the threat of business to make it happen by refusing to give a raise to anyone who didn?t attend. You got your camping trip. Why don?t you just make your announcements, we?ll go for one last hike, and then we can get out of here.
ISABEL: I second that motion.
OLIVIA: Stop scratching, Rae! You?ll get scars.
RAE: Why haven?t we rid the planet of mosquitoes yet? If we can practically wipe out the ozone layer, I don?t see why these tiny bloodsuckers can?t be systematically destroyed.
MAGGIE: Put some calamine lotion on and then wait a minute or two. You should be fine.
ISABEL: Can we start the meeting already?
ALBERT: That?s what I?m trying to do.
OLIVIA: Who?s stopping you?
ALBERT: Quiet. Okay. Where was I? Okay, I call to order the first annual shareholders? meeting of Spellman Investigations, Incorporated. Now what, David?
DAVID: We have already discussed the basic issues. On paper, Isabel is now vice president and owns 25 percent of the company. However, for the next few years Isabel, Mom, and Dad will run the firm together and will take a three-way vote if there are any disputes.
ISABEL: I know how that vote will turn out.
ALBERT: I don?t always agree with your mother, Isabel.
ISABEL: Right.
RAE: Let?s get to the whole reason we?re here. What?s our cost-of-living increase?
ISABEL: I should point out, Rae, that you don?t even pay for your cost of living.
OLIVIA: Let?s just go over our plans for the year, Al. We don?t need to drag this out any more than we have.
ALBERT: Oh, so now you?re turning on me too?
ISABEL: I would really like this ?meeting?4 to begin so that it can eventually end.
DAVID: Here, here.
ALBERT: I thought you told me not to use that language.
RAE: I?m going to kill myself.
DAVID: Maggie, please step in.
[Maggie gets to her feet in front of the campfire and takes control of the room, so to speak.]
MAGGIE: What?s the first order of business?
ALBERT: We?ve started a retirement fund for Isabel and she gets a 5 percent salary increase. Same for Rae.
ISABEL: That?s not fair. I?m more important than Rae.
RAE: Excuse me?
OLIVIA: Rae?s entire raise will go into her college fund.
RAE: I quit.
MAGGIE: Next order of business.
ISABEL: I?d like my mother to stop harassing my boyfriend.
OLIVIA: I haven?t harassed him. I checked on his immigration status and I pay him a visit every now and again and ask him what?s he?s been up to.
ISABEL: Can you just leave him alone?
[Long pause while mother pretends to be concocting a plan she has already concocted.]
OLIVIA: I?ll make you a deal. Go on a blind date with a lawyer once a week and I will pretend that Connor does not exist.
ISABEL: Mom, that?s ridiculous.
DAVID: Yeah, Mom, that?s kind of weird.
OLIVIA: Once every other week.
ISABEL: I said no.
ALBERT: Once a fortnight.
OLIVIA: Al, quiet. Isabel, I really think you should accept my offer.
ISABEL: Why do you hate him so much?
MAGGIE: Next order of business.
OLIVIA: Sorry, Maggie. I don?t believe Isabel and I were through with our negotiations.
ISABEL: We were through.
OLIVIA: Every other week, I?d like you to go on a date with a lawyer or another professional. Then I?ll leave your boyfriend alone.
ISABEL: I think Connor would have more of an issue with me dating other men than with you harassing him. If that?s how you want to use your time, I guess I can?t stop you.
OLIVIA: Do you remember Prom Night 1994?
[Dead silence.]
ISABEL: What are you getting at?
OLIVIA: I have pictures of you in that green dress with the puff sleeves and the tulle petticoat. The one Grammy Spellman made you wear.
ISABEL: Why don?t we talk about this later?
OLIVIA: Great. Then we can iron out the details.
DAVID: Fifty bucks.
ALBERT: Seventy-five.
RAE: Eighty.
ISABEL: What are you guys going on about?
DAVID: We?re bidding on those prom pictures. How come I?ve never seen them?
OLIVIA: That?s enough, everyone. Let?s get back to the meeting. Any other orders of business?
RAE: I?m going to work for Maggie part-time.
MAGGIE: Rae, remember what we talked about.
RAE: More like an unpaid internship. But I thought everyone should know.
OLIVIA: I think that?s an excellent idea.5
ISABEL: Me too. I guess when you?re independently wealthy you can afford to work for free.
RAE: I took a beating in the stock market this last year.
OLIVIA: What will you have her do?
MAGGIE: I?m going to have Rae help me review some pro bono cases I?m thinking about taking on. Preliminary research.
ALBERT: That sounds very educational.
RAE: Don?t try to ruin it for me.
ISABEL: Speaking of pro bono work, when are we going to start investigating Harkey?6
ALBERT: I don?t think now is the right time.
ISABEL: Why not?
OLIVIA: He?ll fight back, Isabel.
ISABEL: He already did. Do you think that audit last month was random?
OLIVIA: My point exactly. I was the one who had to spend three weeks pulling together two years of financial data.
ISABEL: So you?re just going to let him get away with it? Is that what I?m hearing?
ALBERT: This is not a good use of your time, Isabel. In this economy, we should be focusing on keeping our business afloat, not taking anyone down. Besides, we don?t even know if Harkey was behind the audit.
ISABEL: You?re kidding, right? The timing was impeccable. I run into Harkey at the liquor store, suggest that maybe he should watch his back, and the next thing you know the IRS is knocking on our door.
DAVID: Who goes around threatening people like that?
RAE: Isabel loves to threaten people.
ISABEL: Shut up. Back to the audit. Harkey started it, Dad.
ALBERT: Listen, Izzy, business is slow. Do you really want to waste our resources on a witch hunt?
ISABEL: I do. We know he?s crooked. If we can put him out of business, that cuts our competition by about 20 percent.
[Albert shakes his head, still undecided.]
ALBERT: He won?t just roll over, Isabel.
ISABEL: I?m ready for him.
[Olivia whispers in Albert?s ear; Albert nods his head.]
ISABEL: Maggie, is whispering allowed at an official board meeting?
MAGGIE: I don?t take sides with you people.
DAVID: ?You people??
MAGGIE: You know what I mean.
OLIVIA: Okay, we?ll make you a deal, Isabel. You accept now or we shelve this conversation for a later date. One, the Harkey investigation cannot take you away from your regular work, and two, you may not use more than $200 a month in company resources.
ISABEL: Deal.
MAGGIE: Any other orders of business?
DAVID: I hope not.
RAE: One last thing. I request that we never do a group camping trip ever again.
ISABEL: Better than the threatened cruise.
RAE: It?s still torture.
ISABEL: At least you didn?t have someone kicking you all night long and shouting conspiracy theories.
DAVID: If that?s all, I call this meeting to a close.
ALBERT: I wanted to do that.
DAVID: Then go ahead, Dad. It doesn?t actually matter.
ALBERT: Maybe to you it doesn?t.
OLIVIA: Al, enough.
DAVID: [to Maggie] I hope you?re paying attention. Nothing about this morning has been out of the ordinary.
MAGGIE: Relax, David. I?m fine.
ALBERT: As president and CEO of Spellman Investigations, I call this meeting to a close.
RAE: I really do think people can die of boredom.
1The Spellman Files, Curse of the Spellmans, Revenge of the Spellmans?all available in paperback!
2 The parental unit claims to have plans for their retirement, but so far none sound even remotely plausible.
3 Her words, not his.
4 Finger quotes.
5 Excellent for two reasons: 1) Business is a bit slow and so there?s not that much work for Rae anyway; 2) Mom wouldn?t mind another person with a graduate degree in the family.
6 An evil PI who needs taking down.
? 2010 Spellman Enterprises, Inc.
Excerpted from The Spellmans Strike Again by Lisa Lutz Copyright © 2010 by Lisa Lutz. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
smiller492
Posted April 12, 2010
I Also Recommend:
Sorry to see a great series end, but really was a great book! There were many times a laughed out loud at some of the things her characters said or did! If you haven't read the other 'documents'; run, don't walk to your nearest store!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Susan34
Posted March 16, 2010
Lisa Lutz has done it again. All the Spellmans are at their best...(or worst, depending on who you look at it!). We've got some famliar characters, and a few new ones who are a great fit. Isabel has come along way since The Spellman Files, but she's still the same spitfire we've come to love. The family still has their strange quirks, and Isabel has a few mysteries to figure out.
I'm sad that the series is done, but have enjoyed the ride immensely. It never let up, and kept it going beautifully until the end.
I look forward to see what Lisa Lutz will give us in the future.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.In San Francisco, thirtyish Isabel Spellman knows the family rules rule having broken all of them at one time or another, but now she grooms herself to take over Spellman Investigations from her retiring parents Albert and Olivia. Her older brother David is downsized corporate America lawyer and her other sibling is simply Rae, no description necessary beyond she is seventeen.
Currently, in spite of the DNA, Isabel learns one rule of private sleuthing is tediousness. Accompanied by her friend Len Williams, she investigates the disappearance of Mason Graves (who she hopes does not live up to his surname), valet to wealthy Franklin Winslow and studying (alone) the garbage of Jeremy Pratt's former wife for proof she stole his screenplays. Izzy and her boyfriend bartender Conner O'Sullivan find time when they can. At the latest Eleventh Commandment thou shall attend the Sunday Family Dinner; Rae gives her the stare of Medusa for failing to investigate the case of Levi Schmidt defended by David's defense-attorney girlfriend Maggie Mason at a time when doorknobs and fixtures vanish from the house.
The final Spellman dysfunctional family tale (see Revenge of the Spellmans) is an entertaining entry as the "Recovering delinquent" understands family values (not just insane rules) with the help of friend Inspector Stone and of course octogenarian Morty. The story line is thin, but like the Spellmans zany and all over the place barely held together by the rules that govern plots. However the yes we can (except to felonies; that is most of the time) theme makes for an enjoyable insane finish as dizzy Izzy knows dad at sixty five may retire, but mom will always cross the line when it comes to sleuthing into the lives of her kids.
Harriet Klausner
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 7, 2012
I really have enjoyed all of these books and hope there are more in the works.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Paperback/Chicklit: I loved the first three books and then I reviewed the fifth for Amazon Vine. So I backtracked to book four with the audio. All the audios before were done by Ari Graynor and I loved her monotone thiry-something angst. However, the narrator for books 4 & 5 is Christina Moore. It was awful. I couldn't get through five minutes. I even doubled the speed of my ipod. Moore has too much of a eastern accent and she's like my age (old), not early 30s. So me and my BFF ordered the paperback. I still had Ari's voice in my head and it made the book that much better.
In this book, there are mysteries galore. This one actually has a murder! Syke, it's a 20 year old murder. The other mysteries are the usually quirky family fun. A sign of a good book? Missing the characters when you are done.
It's over until book six. Izzy, I miss you all ready!
Anonymous
Posted June 8, 2012
This is the 4th in a series that I hope doesn't stop. The dysfunction in the family is way beyond what you would expect - but hilarious in the context that they are ALL private investigators.
They spend more time investigating each others activities - and the narration just gets funnier and funnier.
Trust me - but start at the beginning with "The Spellman Files".
Anonymous
Posted December 27, 2011
My favorite so far in the series! Can't wait for the next installment in February. I definitely recommend this book!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.The family is up to their old tricks--snooping around, surveilling each other and digging up all the family dirt. In this hilarious installment of the Spellman series, we find that things are a bit topsy turvy. Isabel is taking over the business, meaning that her usual tactics won't exactly fly. She finds herself involved in intrigue surrounding Rae's mysterious boyfriend, David & Maggie's relationship, missing household items at the Spellman residence and the re-appearance of Henry, who wants to be her friend. She is still 'dating' Connor, but is being forced by her mother to go on a series of blind dates with various lawyers (which is a wonderful outlet for her usual antics). In the end, it's business as usual for the Spellmans. The major issues are resolved, but they are still the same, just waiting for a reason to attach a GPS to another family member's car.
I hope this is not the end of the Spellmans. Lisa Lutz has created an incredible family. While it is clear that their motivation always centers on what is best for the others, the manipulation, blackmail & total lack of communication make the Spellmans so realistic and funny. While we do see some growth involving all the characters, Izzy really evolves and matures (for Izzy) during this installment. While some plotlines were wrapped up, some were left open--I hope that Lutz revisits these soon for another Spellman File.
Follow me as readerbarbara on blogspot
murflaw
Posted May 16, 2010
As with her other Spellman books, Lisa Lutz has come up with another winner. I think this one is even better than her previous book. While it is side-splittingly funny, there is some unpredicted character development. There is even a new character who I hope reappears in the next book. He (Fred) is soooooo funny.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.AmiB
Posted May 14, 2010
This was one of the funniest books I've ever read. I loved this series and this may have been the best of the lot. As with the previous "documents," the characters, not the mystery are the highlight, but I found the mysteries interesting as well this time. If this was the end of the series other writers should take note - this is the way to end things. I will miss the Spellmans greatly, and look forward to anything Lisa Lutz writes in the future!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I love the Spellman books and this one was just a great as the others. The characters are so funny and quirky. I'm a little sad because the way it ended seemed like she was tying things up and there aren't going to be anymore, but this book and the whole series are definitely worth owning.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 18, 2010
I have followed this goofy family from the first book and this is really good. If you enjoy good, clean fun you will definitely like this light reading.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.lovetoreadinma
Posted April 17, 2010
The Spellmans are great. These books make me laugh out loud!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 17, 2010
I Also Recommend:
Lisa Lutz recently became one of my favorite authors when I picked up the Spellman Files on a whim. I instantly fell in love with her vivid characters- Izzy, perfect David, little Rae, the Unit, Uncle Ray, and all the rest. I immediately went out and bought the next two books in the series (Curse of the Spellmans and Revenge of the Spellmans) and found that her stories just got better. The Spellmans Strike Again continues in the same fashion and is a great read.
Lisa Lutz has a fabulous, quirky style of writing that works well with the offbeat stories involving Spellman Investigations. The books have footnotes, lists and an appendix which sounds weird in a fiction book, but she really makes it work. Above all else, these books make me literally laugh out loud. I will read these books again and again.
I have already purchased several copies of each book for gifts and I would recommend all the books in the Spellman Files Series to anyone who is looking for a fun and entertaining escape.
wyogal
Posted April 11, 2010
In the first two books I found myself having trouble relating to the lead character, Isabel. She began to grow on me and I was looking forward to this installment in the series. I felt that the growth of Isabel's character was very well done and I enjoyed the book very much. It was a superb wrap to the series. I found myself wanting more while still appreciating the author's ability to leave the series while it was still fresh (unlike many series that go on long past their "fresh by" date).
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I enjoy Lisa Lutz's Spellman books. A total dysfunctional family of P.I.s Very easy to read and fun.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.JennaLang
Posted April 7, 2010
There are currently four books in the Spellman series, and somehow, I got started with number two. This was absolutely not a problem, as Lutz manages to weave in details of the previous books-- and what she doesn't weave in, she clarifies in absolutely hilarious footnotes.
Lutz's well developed protagonist, Izzie/Isabel, reminds me a little of Evanovich's Stephanie Plum: quirky, great sense of humor, penchant for getting in over her head. SO far, there really haven't been any mobster's in the Spellman series, but then, she lives in San Francisco, not Jersey.
Spellman's Strike Again is number 4 in the series, and in it, Lutz proves she can generate more than comedy and a good mystery... this book actually brought tears to my eyes. And not the "I was so manipulated" kind of tears, either... the kind where you have such genuine empathy for the characters and the situation that you can't see the words on the page for your tears.
I highly recommend Spellmans Strike Again.
Lisa Lutz has a way with a story and all of the Spellman books are a source of smiles, laughs, chuckles, etc. Rather than describe an indescribable plot line, let's just say that Albert and Olivia Spellman (the parents), Isabel, David and Rae (the kids), Henry, Maggie, and Fred (the friends) and Harkney (the enemy) are all spying on each other. The story is convoluted, as Izzy tells it from middle to front to back. The antic are insane. The characters are even more insane. It's a family you'd love to get to know but you'd be looking over your shoulder the whole time.
I always wonder how Lutz can continue the series and maintain the story and humor, but she always does.
I think the Spellmans are better and funnier than Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. Give it a try.
ethel55
Posted April 2, 2010
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Picking up on a thread of story from her third Spellman book, Lutz has Isabel Spellman preparing to take over the reins of the family detective agency from her parents. However, nothing is that easy in this family and odd disturbances are taking place within their home/workplace while Izzy figures out how to take down their nemesis, another PI named Harkey. Rae, always clever, comes pretty close to crossing the line in this story and is on a new crusade to free innocent prisoners. David is happily dating Henry Stone's former girlfriend, Maggie. The parental units are enjoying Lost Wednesdays and one wonders if Connor, boyfriend #12 can make it to husband #1 for Izzy. If this is truly the finale, I think the Spellmans are going to make it. I found the story to be satisfying and even bittersweet at times.
I'm sure almost every review on here will mention all three previous "documents" are now available in paperback! Summer is coming, take the Spellmans to the beach or cabin, you won't be sorry.
Anonymous
Posted March 26, 2010
I must first disclose that you should read the first three Spellman books before starting this adventure. Although Isabelle Spellman starts her stories from the middle, this book won't make sense unless you have the story from the very beginning with 'The Spellman Files'.
That being said, all I can say is that Lisa Lutz kept with her writing style that had me laughing throughout the book and left me thankful for my 'normal' family.
I don't want to spoil your read and give away any details.
Overview
AT THE RIPE OLD AGE OF THIRTY-TWO, FORMER WILD CHILD ISABEL "IZZY" SPELLMAN HAS FINALLY AGREED TO TAKE OVER THE FAMILY BUSINESS. AND THE TRANSITION WON'T BE A SMOOTH ONE.
First among her priorities as head of Spellman Investigations is to dig up some dirt on the competition, slippery ex-cop Rick Harkey — a task she may enjoy a little too much. Next, faced with a baffling missing-persons case at the home of an aging millionaire, Izzy hires an actor friend, Len, to infiltrate the ...